To think a 5 term school year is a shit idea

[Edenspirits]

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.heart.co.uk/news/school-years-could-be-split-into-five-terms/

Honestly, I actually think the kids need time out of school in normal times where there is so much bloody pressure.

I know this year has been awful but honestly, what do they need to ‘catch up’ on apart from playing with their friends?

This endless pressure drives me insane. Kids don’t even start school in some countries until age 7 yet we have ours doing SATS and all kinds of nonsense. There’s literally no joy in our education system.

Aibu?

education need to be a national priority, however it will never happen, the unions would never ever let it

You mean "education need to be a national priority, however it will never happen,the unions the government would never ever let the right level of investment be made to make it possible "

"Why is school work bollocks though? ...... Do we not want them to have bright futures and achieve something with their lives?"

School work isn't bollocks. But the "catching up" rhetoric is. And I don't believe that cramming and pressurising kids to achieve some arbitrary targets actually constitutes "a good education"

Problem is that we only get decent weather in the UK May-August. At the moment we get 7 weeks off during the summer half term and summer hols. With this plan there would only be 5 weeks in the summer. The extra weeks off would be in October and Feb when the weather is rubbish.

I always think it would make a lot more sense to have 2-3 weeks in May/June and then 4-5 weeks across August and September, and stop concentrating our six week break at the exact same time as the rest of Europe.

For those thinking 6 weeks is long, lots of countries have longer holidays with lots having 2-3 months. Uk is one of the shortest.

www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/how-long-countries-around-world-13293731

@Ihatemyseleffordoingthis yes about the arbitrary targets. That is my concern about the focus on ‘catching up’. Does that mean more testing, more monitoring, more home work.

If it meant more resources, significant support for children who have been affected disproportionately etc o think everyone would agree.

I wouldn't mind the holidays being more spread out.

As far "catching up" is concerned, what my kids need to catch up on is everything except maths and English, ie art, music, dance, drama, French, sport, both extra curricular and curriculum. That and spending precious time with grandparents and friends.

@JassyRadlett

Problem is that we only get decent weather in the UK May-August. At the moment we get 7 weeks off during the summer half term and summer hols. With this plan there would only be 5 weeks in the summer. The extra weeks off would be in October and Feb when the weather is rubbish.

I always think it would make a lot more sense to have 2-3 weeks in May/June and then 4-5 weeks across August and September, and stop concentrating our six week break at the exact same time as the rest of Europe.

There is something nice though about having 6 weeks off as a child as it is lovely to forget about school. I would prefer to have holidays start a month earlier as the best of the summer is often over by August. We usually only holiday in the UK and often camp so the weather is my primary concern!

Yabu.
In the countries where "school" does not start until 7 formal childcare covering much of the same content as our EYFS/ks1 is widespread such that (for example) many children can already read fluently upon starting "school".

Ps. Life is not one long round of football and visits to granny. Children have always needed to learn the skills they will need to contribute as productive adults. I do think we neglect the vocational side which is why we are short on tradespeople in the UK but the reality is academic learning is important.

@Todayissunny

I'm not in the uk. We have 5 terms. As a teacher I like it. In the 2 week breaks you get a week to rest and a week to prepare. It works for the kids too. Holidays are - 2 weeks in October, 2 weeks Christmas, 2 weeks February, 2 April weeks, 5 weeks July/August.

October, Christmas, February and possible April: the cold, wet and depressing months.

We need May and the long summer.

That big break in the summer also lets you reset. Getting gcse and a level classes through, followed by rest of school exams and data entry and setting (Jesus christ, the setting) and timetabling for next year and changing your sols to incorporate the latest bullshit is knackering. And you might be an examiner too. You need that time to decompress then gear up again for the slog that is sept - Xmas.

I think it's got worse though. I remember the halcyon days of 'gained time' once upon a time, where you could breathe after the exam classes left. Now it's just: next!

As a teacher, I would welcome a change in how the year is spilt up. The autumn term is so long and such a hard slog- by December both kids and staff are worn out. I worked as a teaching assistant in France years ago and I seem to remember they had two weeks off in October. Would love to see that happen here.

@Edenspirits

Why is school work bollocks though? The workplace is becoming more and more competitive nowadays and will continue to do so

God this is depressing ☝️ - children aren’t sausages in a giant economic machine learning only what the government wants and removing all the fun and joy from their lives as little kids.

Yeah, that is depressing. Some people seem to want kids to be unhappy it seems.

I hate that my kids get impacted by this misguided rubbish.

I think it's a brilliant idea, shortening the 6 week summer holiday is long overdue. More time in school in the summer when it's pleasant to throw all the windows open and outdoor lessons can be increased. Shorter terms with more frequent breaks as planned circuit breakers as Covid is here to stay.

Remember when the original call in January was for a 2 week break. No more unplanned school closures hopefully!

I've always thought we should take a week off the summer hols and add it to October half term. That term from September to Christmas is too long. We need to keep May half term though.

I think that five shorter terms, with shorter but more frequent holidays, makes a lot more sense than three long terms.

Oh please. DD is 16. She would hate it if the summer holidays were reduced and so would all her friends. The summer is something to look towards. She doesn’t want an extra week in October or February. They’re miserable times with often bad weather. There’s far less scope for meeting friends because it’s either raining or cold. July and August have much better weather, perfect for festival season, wild swimming, bike rides etc. Yes there’s times she gets bored but she’d much prefer that to an extra week in school, sunny or not it makes no difference.

I like my 6 week holiday as a teacher.

Yanbu. A huge amount of what they do at school is just stuff to keep them busy, or based on Victorian notions of what is genteel to learn.

I can’t believe how much tv my child was shown at school (including programs that caused nightmares).

Children don’t need to practice writing poetry, or do endless rehearsals for nativity/carol sevices, or do cup stacking or endless grammar / reading comprehensions that do nothing but kill any love of reading. There’s loads of stuff that could easily be cut out of the curriculum even teachers say the curriculum is bad.

They simply don’t need to catch up on everything they ‘missed’ by not being at school. They do need to catch up on developing social skills they missed out on using during lockdowns - particularly only children - but the government isn’t interested in catching them up on that.

Is it partly to have more two week breaks to stop chains of infection? Because I’d support that. Looks like no more days in school and summer holidays only a week shorter

YANBU it makes sense to keep the long holiday in the summer as the weather is nice

The average child hasn't really missed that much that can't be caught up in normal school time. It's just skill. It really doesn't matter if y7 don't read Oliver Twist, they will read something else in y8 and go over those skills of analysis or what ver. Relax. As if every child was paying 100% attention in every lesson everyday !! They weren't, and neither did we, and we're ok. Stop creating a moral panic.

Yeah who needs an education anyway? I mean how ghastly that kids should catch up after a year of non and off school. They will be emotionally scarred for life if they have to do this.

See, I would argue it's the LACK of opportunity to practise writing poetry that makes the curriculum so poor.

I was academic, but the creative parts were the best. My kids are primary and don't do nearly as much creative stuff. Hardly any art and never any craft/modelling stuff. The glorious Friday afternoon lessons. Even in secondary, the joy has been sucked out I made board games and advertising campaigns with my ks3 when I started. Now it's all drill,drill ,drill for the exam and start gcse texts in yr 9 so you have a chance at covering the curriculum.

And re TV. I think the skill of sitting and watching a full documentary, rather than a pissing you tuber or tik tok is one that needs to be taught these days.

This has been talked about for at least the 20 years that I have been teaching-I really doubt it will happen.

Will the indie schools go down to 4/5 weeks summer holidays as well?

I always thought a 6 term with two week breaks would be ideal and the perfect balance. So looking at next year it would go like

Term 1) 6th Sep - 22nd Oct (7 Weeks)
Two weeks off 25 Oct - 5th Nov
Term 2) 8th Nov - 17th Dec (6 Weeks)
Two weeks off 20th Dec - 31st Dec (Xmas New year)
Term 3) 4th Jan - 11th Feb (6 Weeks)
Two Weeks off 14th Feb - 25th Feb
Term 4) 28th Feb - 6 Apr (6 Weeks)
Two weeks off 11th Apr - 22nd Apr (Easter)
Term 5) 25th Apr - 1st Jun (6 weeks)
Two weeks off 6th Jun - 17th Jun
Term 6) 20th Jun - 29th July (6 Weeks)
5 Weeks off for summer.

This would reduce summer by one week and the time kids are in school by 2 weeks but give a much better balance and opportunity to recharge for kids and teachers.

@Ijustdontcare

I always thought a 6 term with two week breaks would be ideal and the perfect balance. So looking at next year it would go like

Term 1) 6th Sep - 22nd Oct (7 Weeks)
Two weeks off 25 Oct - 5th Nov
Term 2) 8th Nov - 17th Dec (6 Weeks)
Two weeks off 20th Dec - 31st Dec (Xmas New year)
Term 3) 4th Jan - 11th Feb (6 Weeks)
Two Weeks off 14th Feb - 25th Feb
Term 4) 28th Feb - 6 Apr (6 Weeks)
Two weeks off 11th Apr - 22nd Apr (Easter)
Term 5) 25th Apr - 1st Jun (6 weeks)
Two weeks off 6th Jun - 17th Jun
Term 6) 20th Jun - 29th July (6 Weeks)
5 Weeks off for summer.

This would reduce summer by one week and the time kids are in school by 2 weeks but give a much better balance and opportunity to recharge for kids and teachers.

Looks ok on paper and would be fine with me, but there’s a couple of things to look at...

What would happen if Easter was in March?
How would 2 works at June half term work with external exams?